Solid wintertime wide tire option for rider on a budget

For less than $2000, the Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon SLX 1×11 can deliver plenty if winter riding fun.

Lowdown: Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon SLX 1×11

In my humble opinion the vast majority fat bikes are for wintertime riding only. Yes, there are a few full-suspension designs out there that could be interesting when the trails melt out (see the 27.5-wheeled Trek Farley EX). But when you’re talking standard hardtail (and often fully rigid) 26” fat bikes, my stance is that they’re great for riding on snow or late fall/early spring mixed surface terrain, and not much else. If you want tank-like traction in the summer, go ride a plus bike. They handle much better.

So much better than riding the trainer during the winter.

Thus, if you’re in the market for a fat bike, budget-priced models make the most sense. Why spend extra thousands of dollars on a rig that spends 75% of the year collecting dust in the back of the garage while you’re out riding your “normal” bike. And when we’re talking budget priced options, the Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon SLX 1×11 is worth a long look. For under two grand you get a full carbon frame and fork (no suspension here), plus a decent line-up of components. It’s nothing fancy, but at 29.8 pounds (size Large) it can make a great companion for a little snowbound exploring.

Scroll down to see the bike’s full spec line-up, pluses and minuses, and more from Mtbr’s test session.

The rear end is driven by a Shimano SLX rear derailleur and SLX 11-42t cassette.

Stat Box

Frame: Full carbon

BBB: FSA Mega EXO threaded

Fork: Rigid carbon

Chain: KMC X11

Shock: N/A

Bars: Fezzari Racing Design 740mm

Wheels: Alex Blizzerk 90

Stem: Fezzari

Hubs: Joytech Alloy

Headset: FSA Integrated

Tires: Maxxis Colossus 4.8”

Grips: Velo MTB

Brakes: Tektro Hydo Disc

Seatpost: Fezzari Racing Design XRT

Brake Levers: Tektro

Saddle: Fezzari Ultra XRT

Rotors: Tektro

Headtube angle: 69.8 degrees

Shifters: Shimano SLX

Chainstay length: 468mm

Front Derailleur: N/A

Seat tube angle: 73 degrees

Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX

Weight: 29.8 pounds (size Large)

Cable routing: Internal

Price: $1849

Crankset: FSA Comet 32t

Rating: 4 Chilis-out-of-5

Cassette: Shimano SLX 11-42

Pluses

Minuses

Inexpensive

So-so shifting

Full carbon frame

No S or XL frame sizes

Carbon fork

No dropper post

Reasonably light

Twitchy steering at speed

Great stock tires

So-so soft snow traction

Internal cable routing

No suspension

Easy out-of-box assembly

No frills components

Attractive looks

Wonky wheel removal

XC-oriented geometry

One-season capability

23-point custom set-up

Compliance of carbon

Threaded bottom bracket

Efficient climber

Low standover height

Reliable tubeless set-up

Love it or return it guarantee

Quick release seatpost clamp

Room to upgrade components

The full carbon frame and fork provide a reasonably compliant ride so long as you stick to snow.

Review: Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon SLX 1×11

Before delving into our on-bike experience with the Kings Peak Carbon, it’s important to note that Fezzari is a direct-to-consumer bike seller. That means your new bike will arrive at your house via a UPS truck, and not after a trip to the local bike shop. That’s part of how the Ogden, Utah-based company keeps costs down.

Total weight for our size L test bike was 29.8 pounds sans pedals.

Fezzari ships their bikes nearly ready to ride, so as long as you have even just an elemental level of mechanical skill and/or can follow Ikea’esque directions, assembly is quite simple. It took about 15 minutes to get our tester built up, and we weren’t in a big rush. It’s also worth mentioning Fezzari’s Love It or Return It guarantee, which allows you to test ride a bike for up to 30 days with no risk. If you don’t feel the love, they pay return shipping. You’ll just need to get the bike back in the box.

These tire’s tread consists of numerous tall knobs designed to penetrate soft snow and grip the harder surface underneath. The open tread pattern clears out packed snow to maintain traction, and the 120tpi rubber compound is designed to stay pliable when cold.

Out of the box the first thing you notice is that this is a good looking bike, its internally routed silver painted frame set off nicely by the bright yellow lettering. It’s also reasonably light, coming in at 29.8 pounds with the Maxxis Colossus 26×4.8 tires set-up tubeless. The rest of the components are nothing to jump up and down about. But no one expects XTR on an $1849 bike. Instead the 1x set-up is a mix of Shimano SLX drivetrain bits, an FSA 32t crankset, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, and Fezzari aluminum house brand cockpit parts. Rims are Alex Blizzerk 90 (with 84mm inner width) mated to Joytech Alloy hubs.

This bike’s geometry leans toward XC, though it’s actually a little slacker than its predecessor. Still, if you’re used to modern trail bike angles, the 69.8-degree head angle may initially lend to a somewhat twitchy steering feel. The upside is that steep’ish headtube angle and 73-degree seat tube angle keep you well centered over the bike when climbing, which is critical to maintaining traction.

Meanwhile, the Maxxis Colossus tires hooked up well so long as the snow track was reasonably compacted. You’ll want something wider with more bite if you spend a lot of time riding in loose conditions. We’d also love to see a budget priced dropper post added to the equation. They come in handy when bombing downhill — and during restarts. Thankfully, the Kings Peak Carbon frame has a sloping top tube and relatively low standover height, which helps alleviate post holing.

Braking and shifting were about what you’d expect at this price level, good but not great. I’m definitely a fan of 1x for winter riding. You’re never going to grinding up 15% grades, so why mess around with an extra derailleur, shifter, and chainring.

Fezzari will work with you to get fit dialed, including sending the stem length of your choice.

The wheels were equally reliable, but unspectacular, maintaining their tubeless set-up over about two months of testing. Our only real complaint was the somewhat wonky thru-axles, where the axle screws into a nut on the opposite side that could easily be lost if dropped in the snow.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for a dedicated wintertime fat bike and don’t want to blow out the budget, the Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon is a great option. The components are nothing special. But because you get a compliant carbon frame and fork as the foundation of your build, it’s easy to upgrade down the road if you decide to move to Alaska and ride year round.

For more info please visit www.fezzari.com and scroll through the photo gallery below.

For less than $2000, the Fezzari Kings Peak Carbon SLX 1×11 can deliver plenty if winter riding fun.

The 69.8-degree head angle (and full rigid set-up) delivers a very XC bike feel.

They’re not super light, but these Alex Blizzerk rims easily set-up tubeless and stayed that way.

So much better than riding the trainer during the winter.

Cable routing is kept tidy thanks to internal routing.

Make sure you don’t drop the female side of the thru-axle in the snow.

Fezzari will work with you to get fit dialed, including sending the stem length of your choice.

The Maxxis Colossus 26×4.8 tires have a claimed weight of 1515 grams.

These tire’s tread consists of numerous tall knobs designed to penetrate soft snow and grip the harder surface underneath. The open tread pattern clears out packed snow to maintain traction, and the 120tpi rubber compound is designed to stay pliable when cold.

Total weight for our size L test bike was 29.8 pounds sans pedals.

Hub spacing is 197x12mm in the rear, 150x15mm up front.

The rear end is driven by a Shimano SLX rear derailleur and SLX 11-42t cassette.

The full carbon frame and fork provide a reasonably compliant ride so long as you stick to snow.

For now the bike is offered only in L and M.

The crankset is FSA Comet with a 32t chainring.

The frame’s sloping top tube helps lower standover height.

Tektro hydraulic brakes handle the stopping duties.

The cockpit is nice and tidy thanks to the absence of a dropper post and front derailleur.

An avid cyclist, Jason Sumner has been writing about two-wheeled pursuits of all kinds since 1999. He’s covered the Olympics, Tour de France, MTB world champs, and dozens of other international cycling events. He also likes to throw himself into the fray, penning first-person accounts of cycling adventures all over the globe. Sumner has also done extensive gear testing and is the author of the cycling guide book "75 Classic Rides: Colorado." When not writing or riding, the native Coloradoan can be found enjoying life with his wife Lisa and kids Cora and Tommy in and around their home in the MTB Mecca of Crested Butte.

Why do you think only people in Alaska ride fat year round? Why don’t you like thru-axles? You could just as easily drop a QR spring in the snow. I think someone who enjoys winter more than Jason should have written this review.

Lisa — Thanks for the note. Couple clarifications. I have no issues with thru-axles. The niggle is that unlike more standard thru-axle set-ups, which are one piece, the mechanism on this bike has two pieces (one of them small). As for riding fat year round, as I wrote in the piece, in my opinion there are much better options for summer (think plus bikes). But if you prefer to ride your fat bike all 12 months there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. And finally you could not be more off base about my feelings toward winter. Why else would I live in a place like Crested Butte, elevation 8600 feet. The fat bike is a truly essential piece of my winter recreation quiver, because when the skiing is bad, the fat biking is great. Happy trails — Jason

Exact reasoning I got my inexpensive Motobecane Fat Bike — it is mainly my “winter” bike. I also pull it out a few times in the summer to ride with newbies, but few and far between. That is why I didn’t want to spend a butt load on it.

In the summer I ride my “skinny” tire 27.5 Trance and my Cannondale Bad Habit plus bike. It is nice to have all these choices!